Cate of the Lost Colony - Lisa Klein [85]
“Do you expect me to believe Wanchese?” Bay-lee growled. “How many muskets does he demand?”
“Twelve. Four for each of the women—”
Bay-lee laughed. “Tell Wanchese we will keep our weapons and he can keep the women. We cannot spare so many guns, and we have no need of that proud Cate Archer, the Pierce whore, or the papist.”
Ambrose-vickers leapt to his feet. “I fought against the taking of the pinnace and made my way back here alone to find my wife banished for no cause. You will do whatever they demand to get her back!” He shook his fist, but Bay-lee ignored him.
“I do not trust the words of savages,” Bay-lee said to me.
“You’re the one who’s a damned savage,” Ambrose-vickers said. “Before God you ought to marry that Pierce woman, not leave her to die.”
Ana-nias and the other men did not speak, only looked at their feet. Why would no one heed my words? Had all the English lost their courage? Had they no care for their women?
I returned to Wanchese’s men, who were camped outside the palisade. While they slept I lay awake without any idea of how to proceed. In the blackest hour of night, I heard someone approach. It was Ambrose-vickers, bidding me come to the governor’s house. Ana-nias, Grem, and five others were there. All armed. Muskets and sacks of provisions on the table.
“We are coming with you to negotiate with Wanchese,” said Ana-nias. “But if he will not release our women, we are prepared to fight.”
My heart leapt up and pounded at my ribs. I also was prepared to fight. I thought of Ladi-cate’s plea and Wanchese’s desire and grew resolute. I would cut Wanchese’s throat to prevent him from making Ladi-cate one of his wives.
We left without Bay-lee’s knowledge. Grem knocked out two of the guards and took their weapons. The other two soldiers joined our party. With Wanchese’s men, our number was fifteen. There were ten muskets and ten powder horns between us. Twenty-two bandoliers of ammunition. To show he trusted me, Ana-nias gave me a musket.
“We will offer Wanchese not twelve, but six muskets; two at the moment of exchange and four when all of us have safely returned to the fort,” he said.
I knew he did not mean to part with all six muskets.
“Wanchese will not accept those terms,” I said.
“He does not set the terms,” Ana-nias replied. “We have the weapons.”
All the way to Nantioc, I considered whether the English were using me to lead them to Wanchese so they could destroy him. It was a burden, the knowledge that both sides were bent on battle. The English and Wanchese were like two banks of storm clouds rolling toward each other. Like two stags that lock antlers and fight until one of them is gored to death, while the doe waits to be claimed by the victor.
No man can stop the lightning and the thunder or come between the warring stags. No matter how powerful his words. There would be a battle, and to the winner would go the English women.
Chapter 33
A Daring Rescue
It was not long after our arrival in Nantioc when I realized why Jane and I had been adopted along with the Croatoan women. Because so many had been killed by smallpox and fevers, the men needed wives. Takiwa and Mika would have their choice of husbands.
Jane and Betty were also desirable to the men. The Indians favored a meek demeanor in a wife, and Betty had become passive and timid because of her ordeal. Her damaged hand was healing, and she was young enough to bear more children. Jane Pierce’s belly proclaimed her fruitfulness, a trait that men in every part of the world wanted in a wife. She was treated like a princess about to bear an heir to the throne. She seemed almost contented in Nantioc. I had once read of mariners who were taken captive, and the weak-minded among them became so dependent upon their captors that they no longer sought their release. But Jane was far from weak-minded. She was practical, like Emme, and determined.
As for me, I hoped my black hair was too common to attract much interest. Or that I was deemed unsuitable because I spoke too much, translating everything